By Melanie J. Knox, Page Editor
ACU school colors will now melt in your mouth-not in your hand.
Purple is officially the new M&M color, winning with 42 percent over aqua’s 37 percent and pink with a mere 19 percent.
Michelle Morris, director of Marketing and Public Relations, began the campaign in April to “fire up the campus” and increase school spirit. Morris created a marketing team, and set to work encouraging ACU students, faculty and alumni to vote for purple as the new M&M color.
“Even the alumni were very involved,” Morris said. “Jordan Maples in Dallas told us that he voted for purple about 200 times. This campaign has brought people back to ACU and back together.”
The campaign came to life in a new way with the addition of the live Miss Purple M&M who visited students in the campus center and at Taylor Elementary.
“We watched the students’ reactions as Miss Purple came in the Campus Center, as students hugged her, had their pictures made with her, and some even tried to kiss her,” Morris said.
The marketing team had delayed Miss Purple’s arrival for about two weeks following the death of five ACU students after Easter break, in order to give the campus time to grieve.
When Miss Purple made her appearance, it was good to see people smiling again, Morris said. “We needed this sense of fun to get our spirit back.”
Jennie Martin, junior photojournalism major from Greenville, was the woman behind Miss Purple.
“It was an honor to represent ACU colors this way and a joy to watch everyone join in and help purple win,” Martin said.
A film of Miss Purple visiting with students was sent to M&M’s New York ad agency, and was featured in a live Web cast at the unveiling of the new color on June 19.
“I was all for voting purple,” said Mark Morrow, junior business major from Angleton.
“As ridiculous as I thought the campaign was, the way it showed school spirit was encouraging,” said Branson Pierce, junior business major from Chicago.
“Wherever M&M’s go, just remember that we put purple in the bag,” Morris said.
